memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第40章

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　a　sharp　musketry…fire。　　I　received　orders　from　General　Tyler　to　send　forward　Ayres's　battery；　and　very　soon　after　another　order　came　for　me　to　advance　with　my　whole　brigade。　　We　marched　　the　three　miles　at　the　double…quick；　arrived　in　time　to　relieve　Richardson's　brigade；　which　was　just　drawing　back　from　the　ford；　worsted；　and　stood　for　half　an　hour　or　so　under　a　fire　of　artillery；　which　killed　four　or　five　of　my　men。　　General　Tyler　was　there　in　person；　giving　directions；　and　soon　after　he　ordered　us　all　back　to　our　camp　in　Centreville。　　This　reconnoissance　had　developed　a　strong　force；　and　had　been　made　without　the　orders　of　General　McDowell；　however；　it　satisfied　us　that　the　enemy　was　in　force　on　the　other　side　of　Bull　Run；　and　had　no　intention　to　leave　without　a　serious　battle。　　We　lay　in　camp　at　Centreville　all　of　the　19th　and　20th；　and　during　that　night　began　the　movement　which　resulted　in　the　battle　of　Bull　Run；　on　July　21st。　　Of　this　so　much　has　been　written　that　more　would　be　superfluous；　and　the　reports　of　the　opposing　commanders；　McDowell　and　Johnston；　are　fair　and　correct。　　It　is　now　generally　admitted　that　it　was　one　of　the　best…planned　battles　of　the　war；　but　one　of　the　worst…fought。　　Our　men　had　been　told　so　often　at　home　that　all　they　had　to　do　was　to　make　a　bold　　appearance；　and　the　rebels　would　run；　and　nearly　all　of　us　for　the　first　time　then　heard　the　sound　of　cannon　and　muskets　in　anger；　and　saw　the　bloody　scenes　common　to　all　battles；　with　which　we　were　soon　to　be　familiar。　　We　had　good　organization；　good　men；　but　no　cohesion；　no　real　discipline；　no　respect　for　authority；　no　real　knowledge　of　war。　　Both　armies　were　fairly　defeated；　and；　whichever　had　stood　fast；　the　other　would　have　run。　　Though　the　North　was　overwhelmed　with　mortification　and　shame；　the　South　really　had　not　much　to　boast　of；　for　in　the　three　or　four　hours　of　fighting　their　organization　was　so　broken　up　that　they　did　not　and　could　not　follow　our　army；　when　it　was　known　to　be　in　a　state　of　disgraceful　and　causeless　flight。　　It　is　easy　to　criticise　a　battle　after　it　is　over；　but　all　now　admit　that　none　others；　equally　raw　in　war；　could　have　done　better　than　we　did　at　Bull　Run；　and　the　lesson　of　that　battle　should　not　be　lost　on　a　people　like　ours。

I　insert　my　official　report；　as　a　condensed　statement　of　my　share　in　the　battle：


HEADQUARTERS　THIRD　BRIGADE；　FIRST　DIVISION　FORT　CORCORAN；　July　25；　1861

To　Captain　A。　BAIRD；　Assistant　Adjutant…General；　First　Division　（General　Tyler's）。

Sir：　I　have　the　honor　to　submit　this　my　report　of　the　operations　of　my　brigade　during　the　action　of　the　21st　instant。　　Th　brigade　is　composed　of　the　Thirteenth　New　York　Volunteers；　Colonel　Quinby's　Sixty…ninth　New　York；　Colonel　Corcoran；　Seventy…ninth　New　York；　Colonel　Cameron；　Second　Wisconsin；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Peck；　and　Company　E；　Third　Artillery；　under　command　of　Captain　R。　B。　Ayres；　Fifth　Artillery。

We　left　our　camp　near　Centreville；　pursuant　to　orders；　at　half…past　2　A。　M。；　taking　place　in　your　column；　neat　to　the　brigade　of　General　Schenck；　and　proceeded　as　far　as　the　halt；　before　the　enemy's　position；　near　the　stone　bridge　across　Bull　Run。　　Here　the　brigade　was　deployed　in　line　along　the　skirt　of　timber　to　the　right　of　the　Warrenton　road；　and　remained　quietly　in　position　till　after　10　a。m。　　The　enemy　remained　very　quiet；　but　about　that　time　we　saw　a　rebel　regiment　leave　its　cover　in　our　front；　and　proceed　in　double…quick　time　on　the　road　toward　Sudley　Springs；　by　which　we　knew　the　columns　of　Colonels　Hunter　and　Heintzelman　were　approaching。　　About　the　same　time　we　observed　in　motion　a　large　mass　of　the　enemy；　below　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　stone　bridge。　I　directed　Captain　Ayres　to　take　position　with　his　battery　near　our　right；　and　to　open　fire　on　this　mass；　but　you　had　previously　detached　the　two　rifle…guns　belonging　to　this　battery；　and；　finding　that　the　smooth…bore　guns　did　not　reach　the　enemy's　position；　we　ceased　firing；　and　I　sent　a　request　that　you　would　send　to　me　the　thirty…pounder　rifle…gun　attached　to　Captain　Carlisle's　battery。　At　the　same　time　I　shifted　the　New　York　Sixty…ninth　to　the　extreme　right　of　the　brigade。　　Thus　we　remained　till　we　heard　the　musketry…　fire　across　Ball　Run；　showing　that　the　head　of　Colonel　Hunter's　column　was　engaged。　　This　firing　was　brisk；　and　showed　that　Hunter　was　driving　before　him　the　enemy；　till　about　noon；　when　it　became　certain　the　enemy　had　come　to　a　stand；　and　that　our　forces　on　the　other　side　of　Ball　Run　were　all　engaged；　artillery　and　infantry。

Here　you　sent　me　the　order　to　cross　over　with　the　whole　brigade；　to　the　assistance　of　Colonel　Hunter。　　Early　in　the　day；　when　reconnoitring　the　ground；　I　had　seen　a　horseman　descend　from　a　bluff　in　our　front；　cross　the　stream；　and　show　himself　in　the　open　field　on　this　aide；　and；　inferring　that　we　could　cross　over　at　the　same　point；　I　sent　forward　a　company　as　skirmishers；　and　followed　with　the　whole　brigade；　the　New　York　Sixty…ninth　leading。

We　found　no　difficulty　in　crossing　over；　and　met　with　no　opposition　in　ascending　the　steep　bluff　opposite　with　our　infantry；　but　it　was　impassable　to　the　artillery；　and　I　sent　word　back　to　Captain　Ayres　to　follow　if　possible；　otherwise　to　use　his　discretion。　　Captain　Ayres　did　not　cross　Bull　Run；　but　remained　on　that　side；　with　the　rest　of　your　division。　　His　report　herewith　describes　his　operations　during　the　remainder　of　the　day。　　Advancing　slowly　and　cautiously　with　the　head　of　the　column；　to　give　time　for　the　regiments　in　succession　to　close　up　their　ranks；　we　first　encountered　a　party　of　the　enemy　retreating　along　a　cluster　of　pines；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Haggerty；　of　the　Sixty…ninth；　without　orders；　rode　out　alone；　and　endeavored　to　intercept　their　retreat。　One　of　the　enemy；　in　full　view；　at　short　range；　shot　Haggerty；　and　he　fell　dead　from　his　horse。　　The　Sixty…ninth　opened　fire　on　this　party；　which　was　returned；　but；　determined　to　effect　our　junction　with　Hunter's　division；　I　ordered　this　fire　to　cease；　and　we　proceeded　with　caution　toward　the　field　where　we　then　plainly　saw　our　forces　engaged。　　Displaying　our　colors　conspicuously　at　the　head　of　our　column；　we　succeeded　in　attracting　the　attention　of　our　friends；　and　soon　formed　the　brigade　in　rear　of　Colonel　Porter's。　Here　I　learned　that　Colonel　Hunter　was　disabled　by　a　severe　wound；　and　that　General　McDowell　was　on　the　field。　　I　sought　him　out；　and　received　his　orders　to　join　in　pursuit　of　the　enemy；　who　was　falling　back　to　the　left　of　the　road　by　which　the　army　had　approached　from　Sndley　Springs。　　Placing　Colonel　Quinby's　regiment　of　rifles　in　front；　in　column；　by　division；　I　directed　the　other　regiments　to　follow　in　line　of　battle；　in　the　order　of　the　Wisconsin　Second；　New　York　Seventy…ninth；　and　New　York　Sixty…ninth。　Quinby's　regiment　advanced　steadily　down　the　hill　and　up　the　ridge；　from　which　he　opened　fire　upon　the　enemy；　who　had　made　another　stand　on　ground　very　favorable　to　him；　and　the　regiment　continued　advancing　as　the　enemy　gave　way；　till　the　head　of　the　column　reached　the　point　near　which　Rickett's　battery　was　so　severely　cut　up。　　The　other　regiments　descended　the　hill　in　line　of　battle；　under　a　severe　cannonade；　and；　the　ground　affording　comparative　shelter　from　the　enemy's　artillery；　they　changed　direction；　by　the　right　flank；　and　followed　the　road　before　mentioned。　　At　the　point　where　this　road　crosses　the　ridge　to　our　left　front；　the　ground　was　swept　by　a　most　severe　fire　of　artillery；　rifles；　and　musketry；　and　we　saw；　in　succession；　several　regiments　driven　from　it；　among　them　the　Zouaves　and　battalion　of　marines。　　Before　reaching　the　crest　of　this　hill；　the　roadway　was　worn　deep　enough　to　afford　shelter；　and　I　kept　the　several　regiments　in　it　as　long　as　possible；　but　when　the　Wisconsin　Second　was　abreast　of　the　enemy；　by　order　of　Major　Wadsworth；　of　General　McDowell's　staff；　I　ordered　it　to　leave　the　roadway；　by　the　left　flank；　and　to　attack　the　enemy。

This　regiment　ascended　to　the　brow　of　the　hill　steadily；　received　the　severe　fire　of　the　enemy；　returned　it　with　spirit；　and　advanced；　delivering　its　fire。　　This　regiment　is　uniformed　in　gray　cloth；　almost　identical　with　that　of　the　great　bulk　of　the　secession　army；　and；　when　the　regiment　fell　into　confusion　and　retreated　toward　the　road；　there　was　a　universal　cry　that　they　were　being　fired　on　by　our　own　men。　　The　regiment　rallied　again；　passed　the　brow　of　the　hill　a　second　time；　but　was　again　repulsed　in　disorder。　　By　this　time　the　New　York　Seventy…ninth　had　closed　up；　and　in　like　manner　it　was　ordered　to　cross　the　brow　of；　the　hill；　and　drive　the　enemy　from　cover。　　It　was　impossible　to　get　a　good　view　of　this　ground。　　In　it　there　was　one　battery　of　artillery；　which　poured　an　incessant　fire　upon　our　advancing　column；　and　the　ground　was　very　irregular　with　small　clusters　of　pines；　affording　shelter；　of　which　the　enemy　took　good　advantage。　　The　fire　of　rifles　and　musketry　was　very　severe。　　The　Seventy…ninth；　headed　by　its　colonel；　Cameron；　charged　across　the　hill；　and　for　a　short　time　the　contest　was　severe；　they　rallied　several　times　under　fire；　but　finally　broke；　and　gained　the　cover　of　the　hill。

This　left　the　field　open　to　the　New　York　Sixty…ninth；　Colonel　Corcoran；　who；　in　his　turn；　led　his　regiment　over　the　crest；　and　had　in　full；　open　view　the　ground　so　severely　contested；　the　fire　was　very　severe；　and　the　roar　of　cannon；　musketry；　and　rifles；　incessant；　it　was　manifest　the　enemy　was　here　in　great　force；　far　superior　to　us　at　that　point。　　The　Sixty…ninth　held　the　ground　for　some　time；　but　finally　fell　back　in　disorder。

All　this　time　Quinby's　regiment　occupied　another　ridge；　to　our　left；　overlooking　the　same　field　of　action；　and　similarly　engaged。　Here；　about　half…past　3　p。m。；　began　the　scene　of　confusion　and　disorder　that　characterized　the　remainder　of　the　day。　　Up　to　that　time；　all　had　kept　their　places；　and　seemed　perfectly　cool；　and　used　to　the　shell　and　shot　that　fell；　comparatively　harmless；　all　around　us；　but　the　short　exposure　to　an　intense　fire　of　small…arms；　at　close　range；　had　killed　many；　wounded　more；　and　had　produced　disorder　in　all　of　the　battalions　that　had　attempted　to　encounter　it。　　Men　fell　away　from　their　ranks；　talking；　and　in　great　confusion。　　Colonel　Cameron　had　been　mortally　wounded；　was　carried　to　an　ambulance；　and　reported　dying。　　Many　other　officers　were　reported　dead　or　missing；　and　many　of　the　wounded　were　making　their　way；　with　more　or　less　assistance；　to　the　buildings　used　as　hospitals；　on　the　ridge　to　the　west。　　We　succeeded　in　partially　reforming　the　regiments；　but　it　was　manifest　that　they　would　not　stand；　and　I　directed　Colonel　Corcoran　to　move　along　the　ridge　to　the　rear；　near　the　position　where　we　had　first　formed　the　brigade。　General　McDowell　was　there　in　person；　and　need　all　possible　efforts　to　reassure　the　men。　　By　the　active　exertions　of　Colonel　Corcoran；　we　formed　an　irregular　square　against　the　cavalry　which　were　then　seen　to　issue　from　the　position　from　which　we　had　been　driven；　and　we　began　our　retreat　toward　the　same　ford　of　Bull　Run　by　which　we　had　approached　the　field　of　battle。　　There　was　no　positive　order　to　retreat；　although　for　an　hour　it　had　been　going　on　by　the　operation　of　the　men　themselves。　　The　ranks　were　thin　and　irregular；　and　w